Automatic starting and stopping device for phonographs



April 27 ,1926.Y f. A. L. HOWARD AUTOMATIC STARTING'AND STOPPING `DEVICE FOR PHONOGRAPHS original' lildnov. 4. 1921 s sheets-sheet 1 Tlllllmvvmw lllll Jul rl l..

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3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Nov. 4, 1921 QN x April 27 1926.

' A. L` HOWARD AUTOMATIC STARTING AND sToPPING DEVICE FOR PHoNOGRAPHs Original Filed Nov. 4, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ALBEN` L. HOVJAR'D, OF ANN A315923, MICHIGAN.

AUOMATIG STARTING AND STOEPING DEVICE FOR PHONOGRAPHS.

- Application filed November 4, 1921, Serial No. 512,98.

To all whom it 01mg/ concern:

Be it known that l, ALBEN L. HOWARD, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Ann Arbor, county of llashtenaw, and State of lv/ilichigan, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Autoina-tic Starting and Stopping Devices for Phonographs, of which the following is a specification. Y

-his invention relates particularly to an ,automatic starting and stopping mechanism for the disk type of phonograph.

Among the salient objects of the invention are to provide a device or attachment which automatically starts the machine when the ltone. arm is moved to a position wherethe needle may be placed upon the beginning of the record and which, when the tone ai'in has moved across the record and the selection has been` completed,v the mechanism will automatically stop the rotation of the disk; to provide a device which is simple in operation, relying solely on the movement of thek tone arm for its control of the disk and upon mechanism controlled by the motor which rotates the disk which automatically brakes the motor mechanism at predetermined positions of the tone arm; to

provide a mechanism which is positive in its operation and is not affected by slight eccentricities of the disk.

in the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the mechanism with the disk ofthe machine broken away to show its operation.

2 is a plank view of a modified form of construction.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2. Y

Fig. 4 is a detail of the clutch mechanism in the wheel which contacts the sector in Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the clutch wheel shown in Fig. el.

Referring in rdetail to the drawings, as shown in lFig. 1, the drums 1 enclosing the spring, drive the gear 2, which meshes with a worin 3, which in turn drives the gear 4l and the worin 5 mountedv on a shaft 6 which is provided with a governor device 7 and a disk wheel 8 contacted by the braking pad 9, as will hereinafter be more fully explained. The gear 2 also meshes with a gear 10 mounted on' the shaft 11, upon which is also mounted a worm gear 12, driving the gear 13 through theworrn gear le, hot-h which until the end of the selection.

Renewed July 27, 1925.

are mounted on the vertical shaft 15. The tene arm 16 is fitted with a curved portion 1f upon which lits sound bosT 18. rlhis tone arm is pivoted at 19 and moves horizontally across the disk of the record during the playing of a selection.

@n the tone aiin 16 is a pin 2O which fits into curved slot 21 in an elongated arm 22, which is pivoted at 23. A second arm 25 also pivoted at 28 in a slotted hole 24 has a sector 26 which is toothed and on being moved across with the movement of the tone arm meshes with the gear 13 on thevertical shaft 15. In the lower arm isalso cut an L-slot 27 into which lits a square pin 28 extending' downwardly from the upper arm 22. Near the pivoted extremity of the arm 25' is a curved slot 2S) which is fitted by a linger 30 kwhich is an upturned end of the connecting rod 31. On the opposite end of this rod is lined the pad 9 which contacts the disk 8 in stopping the motor. A spring 32 is fastened-to the rod and imposes a constant tension upon the rod 31 andthe arms 25 and 22 tending to pull the pad 9 to contact the disk`8. ln operation, the meeha-nism functions as follows:

When the tone arm is moved from a. posi-A tion' outside the playing area of the record (at which time the brake is appliedas the arm 25 is at its extreme right position and the pin 28 is near t-he left end of the slot 2?) to the playing area, the pin 33 rides up the incline of thepart 341-, thus moving arin to the left which releases the brake land the disc begins to revolve.

When the machine is stai-ted and the disk commences to rotate, the needle 35 on the sound box 18 may be placed in the initial grooves of the record, and as it continues to move across the surface of the record, the arms 22 and 25 are each pivoted at 28 andl will like-wise move with it, the pin 2O advancing along the curved slot 21 in the arm 22.

Further movement of the tone arm causes the pin 28 on arm 22 to move on the lateral part of the slot 27 and this relation exists Upon backward movement of `the tone arm' the pin 28 rests in the corner of the slot 2T and cannot occupy the left endroit said slot as theV `pin 33 engages the part Sel and prevents spring 32 from acting. Upon completing the backward movement of theV tous armi, that is, when the needle is beyond iio Lesa

the longitudinal leg of the L-slot 45. The taking effect of the spring andthe releasing of the lower arm causes the link 68 to slide with the arm7 stopping the disk through the braking mechanism as explained. Then the tone arm has been moved to the extreme position orcto a position for starting, the pin 50 has moved along the opposite side of the cam slot at 79 moving the pin a6 into the corner of the L-slot, thus sliding the lower arm longitudinally of the slot e2 against the spring tension 7l, which movement releases the braking pad from the governor, permitting the disk to rotate. `With the movement of the tone arm to the right across the surface of the record, the

vthe surface of the disk, the tone arm will carry with it two arms 3f) and it() due to rtheir connection with the tone arm through the pivoted arm 86. Y

When the needle has progressed to a position approaching the end of the selection, the sector el?) will contact with the surface of the clutch wheel la and thelatter being geared to rotate at substantially the speed at which the sector is travelling will move with it. When the needle has progressed to the end of the record, its horizontal movement is checked due to the fact that it has reached the final playing groove. Here, the horizontal movement of the tone arm is checked but the clutch wheel, due to its connection with the driving mechanism continues, carrying with it the sector due to its contacting relation with the sector. As the sector progresses with the clutch wheel, the upperfarm 39 drie to its connection with the tone arm is stopped and the pin Llf3 is moved off of the shoulder' S0, permitting the spring 7l to take the effect and slide the lower arm longitudinally to brake the mechanism and stop the rotation of the disk. The adjustment may be made so accurately that almost immediately with the reaching of the final groove by the needle lined in the sound box, the mechanism will be stopped in the manner explained.

To the shaft G7 upon which the hell crank G6' vis pivoted, is also fixed an upright pin S2. which is contacted by a stopping mechanism 83. Then the stopping mechanism .is rotated to an'automatic position, the pin 82 is free to move with the shaft 67 but when the stop is placed in a non-automatic position, the mechanism will assume the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 and prevent the actuation of the automatic stop due to its contact with the vertical pin 82.

When the starting and stopping mechanism is operating automatically with the movement of the tone arm to the extremo right, the motor will he stopped by means of the braking of the governor, Vilith' the movement to the left to the starting position, when the stud 50 rides along the edge designated as T9 of the cam slot, the motor will be started due to th-e releasing of the braking mechanism. lThe rotation of the'disk will continue until the pin t6 is moved from the shoulder 8O by the checking of the forward movement of the sector, and continued rotation of the clutch wheel. TWithin the tone arm support Sil is a post 85, about which is coiled a spring 86, fastened at its upper end to the pin S7 fixed to the cross bar 88 in the tone arm. This spring imposes a slight forward rotating tension upon the tone arm assisting in the movement 0f the tone arm across ther record in the applying of a selection. The function of this spring is to assist the movement of the tone arm due to the fact that in reproduction of some records, a blunt needle is used which does not easily follow the grooves of the record unless the tone arm moves very freely. ln most records, where a sharp needle is used in a comparatively deep groove, the tone arm will readily follow the movement of the sound box, but if the grooves of the record are compara-tively shallow and the needle blunt, a construction used with some manufacturers, it is necessary that the tone arm move freely in order that its horizontal progression across the recordis not checked until the end of the selection has been reached. lf, for any reason, the horizontal movement of the tone arm is checked yduring the playing of a selection, therotation of the disk will be immediately stopped due to the dropping of the pin Li6 from the shoulder 80.

ln the constructie-n shown in Fig. l, where the sector is toothed to mesh with the gear i3, the sector is pivoted and a small spring connected 'thereto to hold the sector in ay position to mesh properly when the sector is moved in its travel to a position to mesh with the gear or should the teeth of the sector and gear not be in proper position for meshing the sector will slightly on its pivot receding from the gear so that a proper meshing will be effected. T he mechanism here shown is adaptable to any type or disk machine and although being sensitive to the movement of the record in its ability to stop and start the driving mechanism, it is rugged in design so that adjustment is not easily elfected by rough usage.`

l claim as my invention:

l; In an automatic starting and stopping device for phonographs, the combination with a rotating disk, a reproducing mechanism mounted on an arm adapted to progress across said disk, of pivoted mechanism i ference of the dishq and in nnoinzicleii.`

moving` iviih the arm in linie-:l relailiiol .virh the rotation or the disk wherebyv theI mov-eff the reproducing mechanism across inc-nt the disi; 'inni-tions to stnrt and srop Jche ing;` niechnnism oliernhle o ineclnin1 n nl nedelei'nnned pi tone firm.

3. ln nn device for olionoern-plisf zin'rinnlic 'ring' :ind .Cropping ihe roniliinniion i, of reproducing mechione nini zin-fl ndiipi'ed the diskl5 pivo'red dis l( relai:-

with n, rfeilx'iiinig ci :inisn incnn' d on lio move thcrevfnh i ing mechanism ope o li' the dish vvhen i is in n. posil'ion nl'. ion :ind to sop lhe ri; thel end oi Idie selection.

In :in :informatie sini-ring' and device lor phonogrziphs. the ronihii i ivilh n reproducing meclnin ni operable i move ucr n rotating disk dni-ing' the pinying` period, elongated arms mein with the reprodncing mechanism operable thereivih und ivih J`he rotating mechanism 'o siert und stop the rorning mechanism n; predeiermincd posirions or' the reproducing mechnnism.

A meth of sterling and stopping :i phonograph lmving` n horizonnl disk Yfor records consistingv in :niloinnicnllv siepi/)ing the revolvingof the dise when die tone zirni is positioned snhu'nninlly :it fh-e crciff slziriling .sziid disc when lhe ione nrn n position for die needle ro he plnced in lhe sterling' `grooves of i'hc record :ind in zinlonnil-iczillv s'opping' lho revolving o l! the disc, :it the cinnplel'ion ol he selection.

(i, fr method ol si'zirliing and stopping :L

phonograph having n horizontal dirsi: for

records consisling in nntonnilicnllv sh ppinfnY the revolving of the dish when he lone :ii-n1 is moved to :i position snhslanl'inllv :it i'he circnn'iicrence o'l lie dif'l and :intiomai'iczill'gY stili-ling the ronlion of thel disk ivhen he lone :irni is moved lo n position Yfor lhe roprodncing niechnnisni to he placed in the lirst groove ol. che recordt :ind in zintonnilicz llj)Y Stopping the revolving oi: rho disk :it 'hc :irri 'nl olf ihe 1e]n'oilncing mechanism :it snhslnninliv ille lnrr groove of ihe rei-ord.

ln coniliinnion, :i pion( ""nph in'ncrible7 means lio rot-:ile smid nhle, n. ione nrni ndiiped lo eng(` on seid i'iirnl'zilile, snid ing eren nd :i non-plnvir ina;- niechzanisn carried hy i p'cfl in eng "e lhe plzij.'A inf ni'ezi oil snid recordn said ii nlnlile ro'iziiing nieclninis'm `il inrnl': ble to rotule only when i fechnnisni is vfilhin lelie nrez, und menns to inrnl'nlile villen lhe 1 Y. recorrA lnii in uren. i

:i pliyodiicione :rin und sin is in proxiniij; lo the. lie plnving eren, incliniing :i l,

S. fr V,1: `J"iring' und stopping i phonoi h ifzving i horizontal disc lor records, co1 Ling in :nilomnl'icnll'v slopping the revolvir j of the disc when 'he ione arr is moved to n posii'ion lieyond i'lie plnvii aren o" the disc, :ind :i fioniziticailljv sini-L- the roialion pie dis; when the ione nrni 1:5 moved o :i p Yion lor the repro/lneing nicchnnisin 1e placed in che lirst groove of lhe i i enioinntic: ll),v stoppin f the 'e he disc :il the arrival oli' e :hzinisin :it snli` .nl'izilljvY i e lnsl groove olf lhe record.

El. i neil od ol sterling und stoppingA the drivin;Y mechnnism oi' niplvonogrnph,'consisting' in stoppingmid meclnznisni vvhen (he tone :irni is to either side of Jdie playing :i 'en oi' lhe record, :ind pei-milling the sanne to ope nte .vhen rho tone nrni is moving over Suid uren.

ALBEN L. HOVARD.

n record si,ippin'lcd4 

